Monday, November 10, 2014

When
searching for an actor to play the daunting role of the Bird, Angelina
Jolie made a bold choice: Japanese rock star Miyavi, who had never acted
before. His performance is brilliant and haunting, but for the devoted,
gentle-hearted Buddhist, portraying the violence of the subject was so
difficult that during one particularly harrowing scene, he had to leave
the set to vomit. Taking on a role that will surely be controversial in
Japan was a brave decision, but for Miyavi, it was a way of paying
tribute to Louie. "Louis Zamperini is not an American hero," he says,
"he's an international hero." When Louie died, Miyavi flew in to honor
him at his funeral.